Petra Collins' First Solo Exhibition 'Discharge'

Female sexuality, inspired in part by Rihanna.

Petra Collins knows how to make a scene. You may remember the dull roar around a certain American Apparel bleeding vagina shirt thing. Then, she was booted off Instagram for posting an underwear selfie feat. hints of full-bodied pubic hair and top notes of I Do What I Want — something which ignited a fierce online dialogue; something that she spoke out to us about.

Since the age of fifteen, Petra's been unravelling some relevant gender discourse and female sexuality via many and varied provocative works — photos, short films and illustrations. She's also curated her own collectives and acted as a casting director for Richard Kern. Now aged 21, Petra's first solo exhibition Discharge pivots on a backbone of female sexuality and development — intending to pique curiosity around women's sense of self-perception.

As per a press release, "Discharge is a culmination of work that illustrates changed prospective as it relates to the different stages of female development in a hypersexualised beauty-obsessed society. Inspired by pop-culture, female chat, and the likes of Rihanna, Collins aims to empower and change the way we look at woman and how they look at themselves."

This will obviously be excellent, and we're chuffed that Petra thinks Rihanna is as influential as we do. Discharge will be on view 28 February through 27 April at Capricious 88, 88 Eldridge Street, Manhattan.